Straw or hay for nest boxes- preference?

[igorsMistress]

When it's raining every day, the chickens get extremely muddy feet (my chickens free range and have access to rocky areas, grass areas, and muddy areas). If I don't go in there and act like I'm cleaning them they won't lay in their boxes, I don't ask them questions because I can't speak chicken. I just do what I've been doing and things work smoothly.

boy do they have you trained well. I'm sorry, I'm really not laughing at you. I'm just as well as you are I'm afraid.

 

[Chickassan]

Everything gets alfalfa hay.
Brooder, coop, nests, everything.
It saves me many brain cells.

 

[lmcelroy]

Hi Backyard Chicken forum friends,

I am a first time chicken owner finishing up my first coop. I wonder if I should get straw or hay to bed the nesting boxes for my 4 chickens. Which is preferred and why?

thank you for replying,
-Hilary

Neither, IMO. Get plastic nest pads, available on Amazon. They serve the purpose (to protect the egg) and are easy to keep clean.

 

[lucymarcysally]

Hi Backyard Chicken forum friends,

I am a first time chicken owner finishing up my first coop. I wonder if I should get straw or hay to bed the nesting boxes for my 4 chickens. Which is preferred and why?

thank you for replying,
-Hilary

I'm a first time chicken owner too and have had my girls for 4 years now. I use large pine shavings that I get at TSC. They're easy to clean up, a thick layer in the winter keeps the coop a bit more cozy, inexpensive and I like the fresh scent the have.

 

[rehdancer]

Since I live in a geographical area called the Pine Barrens I have access to a LOT of pine needles from white pine trees, which are pretty long for pine needles. Since we also choose to cover our septic each year to insulate it we have leftover straw from that each year. We don't use all of that for mulching the potatoes so I'm thinking of mixing straw with pine needles. Thoughts?

 

[elissamay]

Which is preferred and why?

Only straw is appropriate for bedding, but I prefer large flake pine shavings with some zeolite mixed in.

 

[joydix]

Hi Backyard Chicken forum friends,

I am a first time chicken owner finishing up my first coop. I wonder if I should get straw or hay to bed the nesting boxes for my 4 chickens. Which is preferred and why?

thank you for replying,
-Hilary

I use those large colorful buckets 5 gal maybe? I put rice hulls in. Insects can’t live in the plastic and it keeps the bedding from being tossed out by the hens. I have used straw and shavings. Like the rice hulls best. Google then and see how cool they are.

 

[michaelmfl]

I use plastic grass I bought at a local Roses discount store. It came in a roll for about $8. Amazon sells it, too. I cut it to fit my nesting boxes and have a few spares so that when I want to clean it I just hose it off and drop in a dry spare while the other dries. Hens seem to like it. Never had a broken egg. And almost always have very clean eggs.

 

[cbhunter777]

I buy artificial turf on Amazon and cut to size. Easy to pull out and knock against fence post or side of coop to clean off and put back. Easy to spray off with water hose if pooped on. Haven't found a down side yet.

 

[emerytx]

Hi Backyard Chicken forum friends,

I am a first time chicken owner finishing up my first coop. I wonder if I should get straw or hay to bed the nesting boxes for my 4 chickens. Which is preferred and why?

thank you for replying,
-Hilary